Rabbit is sneezing

[**Copper**]

Copper has been sneezing a couple times a day. She always a damp nose and usually sneezes more when she eats pineapple. I’m not sure if she allergic to it so I’m going to change her to papaya instead. She also sneezes when I pet her and snuggle her and I groom her every other day, not sure if her hair is floating into her nose. She will also sneeze when she’s eating hay. I know a runny nose is bad and I also know some people who have lived their whole lives with a bunny with runny noses. I just want some reassurance from the experts.

[Elrohwen]

I would see the vet. Some sneezing is normal, but a lot of sneezing, especially with a runny nose, isn’t a good sign. It could be nothing, but I would get it checked out anyway.

[**Copper**]

I have an appointment being set up. It’s not super excessive sneezing and a little damp nose but never running. But definitely gonna get her checked out

[tanlover14]

I would definitely get her checked out – but my bun Nora is an excessive sneezer. She’s had many tests and such but no one has been able to find anything wrong with her. We’ve tried changing hay, adding a humidifier, ect. with no luck. If there’s no discharge, I imagine your vet will tell you to look around for things in your house that could be causing it – extra dusty hay or litter is usually the first thing they suggest may be causing it.

We did eventually decide to flush Noras nose out during her spay and a bunch of gunk came flying out… but she has continued to be a VERY sneezey bun despite that and the other options we have tried. Everyone who spends the night and sleeps in our living room complains about how she sneezes allll night long.

[tanlover14]

Ah yes, I would also double-check a few times about seeing discharge. With my one bun, Simba, he had an issue recently with a URI and was put on meds… his nose was never “runny” per say because he would always use his paws to wipe the gunk off before it ran down his nose. The next time your bun sneezes, try and get to her before she moves and bend her towards the light. Check UP into her nose. I had to bent Simba back a little bit so I could see up his nose and it was filled with discharge when he was sneezing. Just a tip, as I know a lot of people don’t realize it because their buns are clearing away all the gunk before they get to them to check.

[**Copper**]

I’ve definitely changed different things like hay and when I first got her I was using pine shavings (I know huge mistake) but once I read into URI I changed it right away. Have her on aspen shavings. It doesn’t effect her as much and I vacume all the time to keep the dust down. I guess that’s true about them getting to it first. Thanks for that. When I take her in for her checkup I can just ask them to maybe flush it? I’m interested to know if that will happen to copper too. Thanks for that really helped me out.

[tanlover14]

Some rabbits can be flushed without being put under but Nora fought too much and they were afraid she would hurt herself fighting – others do fine with the flush without being put under. Your vet may prefer one way or the other also. One of ours around here is comfortable without it but my own personal vet would much prefer them under to do it…. so they don’t fight so much… so I would ask your vet about that option for sure.

Sometimes I wonder if Lionheads in general are prone to sneezing (maybe the structure of their heads or something?) because both of mine always seem to sneeze sometimes at the very least and the rescues I volunteer with always have sneezy Lionheads also! LOL.

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